Niki Tsongas Election Night Remarks

Niki Tsongas joined supporters at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center in Lowell Tuesday night. The following are her election night remarks as prepared for delivery.

“We did it! Tonight would not have happened without the support of all of you and the people who have made their voices heard all across this district!

To those cities and towns I have represented over the past five years, I want to thank you for giving me the privilege of representing you in Congress once again. And, to the new cities and communities that were added to create the Third Congressional District, I want to thank you for placing your confidence in me. I will not let you down.

And, I’d like to recognize and thank Jon Golnik for running a spirited campaign.

Not all of the results have come in yet tonight, and I am as eager to hear them as you are, but as we wait, I can tell you one thing, each and every person in this room worked their hearts out, and you should be proud of the campaign we’ve run.

I know that your tireless efforts weren’t just about winning this election. You are involved because you know how much is at stake for our country, and you take seriously, as I do, the generational responsibility we have to our children and grandchildren.

That’s why, starting tomorrow, we need to join together and get back to work.

We need to join together to build a stronger middle class by creating real opportunities for all people and supporting the business and government partnerships that help to grow our economy.

We must come together to deal with our debt and deficit in a way that is fair and sustainable, that doesn’t weaken our commitment to our young people or those relying on Social Security and Medicare.

We stand united in our gratitude to the men and women serving on our behalf and their families – protecting them when they are on the battlefield with the best body armor we can produce; and giving them the resources they need if, in the line of duty, they suffer a great injustice. And, we must honor our veterans when they return home with the support they have earned, and with help getting an education, or a job, or housing.

And, we must join together to advocate for our shared values of fairness, equality and civil rights for all. Our nation is stronger for its commitment to defending the rights of all people.

I am grateful for all that we have achieved together over the last five years. And, as I visit all of the communities that make up this remarkable district, I see the hard work, determination, productivity, and perseverance that drives the people that live here. That spirit of optimism, resilience, and hopefulness is the inspiration I carry with me every day. What a powerful voice we can have when, in that spirit, we come together and chart a path forward on common ground.

Over the next two years, I am committed to meeting our challenges head on and building on our steady progress. I am confident that together we can continue to make a difference.

This has been a campaign of ideas. But it has also been a campaign of people. And there are some people that I would not be here without.

Of course, it starts with my family Ashley, Maura, Katina and Molly. And I’d like to thank my partner Jim O’Brien and my sisters-in-law Thaleia Tsongas Schlesinger and Vicki Peters and my brother-in-law Jim Peters and all my extended family and friends who are up on the stage with me today.

I also want to thank two people who were there when it counted – Senator John Kerry and Vicki Kennedy.

So many members of the local legislative delegation were crucial to our success and the countless other current and former local officials who pitched in.

And, I want to thank the SEIU and others in Labor made such a difference this year. And, Veterans and Military Families for Progress who represent such an important voice and whose endorsement I so appreciated.

And of course we could not have done this without our talented and dedicated campaign staff and those who supported their efforts—there are so many of you that I want to thank, but there are a few people I especially want to call out tonight:

Our campaign manager Eric Slusher and finance director Carol Kanin who have worked so tirelessly and have been so committed to our campaign effort. And the team that backed them up, Jesse Bragg, Liz Wester, Alli Gold, and Sarah Baughman. And, our fantastic Finance Committee and its chairs, Anna Winter Rasmussen and Mitch Tyson. And, my field marshal Dennis Kanin who has been a lifelong friend and who has provided invaluable advice in all of our political endeavors. And so many of the volunteers and advisors, old friends and new – who have put in countless hours for this campaign – I cannot thank you enough.

Finally, I have a remarkable, talented and committed Congressional staff both in Washington and here in the district. I know that they will continue to do a great job working on behalf of this district over the next two years.

There are so many more of you that deserve thanks – so many coordinators, contributors, footsoldiers, etc., and I want to thank each of you individually as I move around the hall this evening. This victory belongs to each and every one of you.

Thank you all.”

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